China lays claim to over five thousand years of history, eleven major dynasties and only one female emperor: Wu Zetian . An amazing feat by any measure, her life is a fascinating but fractured tale. And although many historians of the period did not look favorably upon Wu Zetian and could arguably not be trusted to accurately depict her ascension to power or the manner in which she ruled, the following story still remains an alarming combination of history, speculation, and legend.

After doing a substantial amount of research on Wu Zetian,I decided to construct this site, which looks at the life of Wu Zetian, her background, her policies, and her place in the Tang Dynasty and, in doing so, draw a more accurate picture of one of China's most controversial rulers